Parent Handbook

Our Parent Handbook covers all the information, procedures and policies you and your child will need.

You can print a full version to read at your convenience by pressing the ‘PDF’ button at the top of the page.

If you have any further questions in relation to school times, dates, policies, or other general enquiries, please feel free to contact Our Lady of the Rosary Primary by phone on 8856 8301 weekdays between 8:30 am and 3:15 pm.

General Information

The children are given the opportunity to purchase suitable books through the Ashton's Scholastic Book Club. The school co-operates with Ashton's as a service to the children.

Procedure – brochures are given out to the children and if they are interested they should complete the order form and either enclose payment or they can pay via a secure site on www.scholastic.com.au, then they should record the receipt number on the order form.

Send in to school in an envelope with Name and Class on the front. Orders are handed out within a few weeks.

Child protection laws require all volunteers/contractors and other visitors who may have direct unsupervised contact with children to complete child protection training. This training can be accessed on the Parramatta Catholic Education Office website 'Building Child Safe Communities' (http://childprotection.parra.catholic.edu.au/volunteers)

If your child loses an article of clothing get him/her to check the lost property box or feel free to do so yourself. The best protection against losing items is to mark them clearly with the child’s name. The school cannot accept responsibility for lost items.

Children eat lunches with their class each day, under the supervision of a teacher. Please give your children a nutritious lunch made up of food they enjoy. Keep a close check on what your children are eating and avoid giving them too much - this often leads to wastage.

Please do no supply ‘take away’ fast foods (from commercial outlets) to the children for lunch. The school also requests no hot food to be brought in from home for lunch.

The school Parents' Association meets twice a term (Week 3 & Week 8). Most meetings are held in the Resource Room and begin at 9.00am. Parents are always notified about the time and venue for these meetings in the school newsletter and website.

The Parents' Association supports the school by raising funds each year for equipment and school improvements. Social functions are held throughout the year. Please help us to help your child by actively participating the the Parents' Association.

Our Kid's Cafe is open 5 days a week. The cafe only sells food that is in the Green (predominately) or Amber category of Healthy Foods guidelines.

Lunch orders should be written on a paper bag. Include your child's name and class, items required and the correct money (if possible). Orders are sent from the classroom to the cafe each morning and lunches delivered back to the classroom.

Orders can also be made online: Flexischools (http://www.flexischools.com.au).
Click 'register my school' to create an account, top up your balance and start ordering immediately.

The cafe is open in the morning for limited trading from 8.30am to 8.45am, also during recess time and during the lunch break.

A list of items for sale from the cafe and their prices is sent home in the first term of school, a copy is also available on the school website and available from the office.

Please note that children who arrive at school before this time will be unsupervised. For safety reasons children should not come to school before 8:15 am. Children are not to be on the premises outside the stated school hours.

Supervision after school

The children are dismissed at 2:55 pm.

A written note requesting other arrangements must be received by the class teacher.

Children who wait for parents do so inside the school grounds. Parents who collect their children gather under the undercroft. In the event that children are left in the school after 3.25pm, we attempt to contact parents or emergency contact person. At no time are children left alone.

Kiss and drop

A ‘Kiss and Drop zone’ operates in the school grounds. The Kiss and Drop area can cater for 6 cars at a time only. In the afternoon between 2:55pm and 3:05pm it is extremely busy. Please make sure you have a laminated sign of your child's name to make it easier to call children and load the cars.

We suggest that you either park on Edgar Street or Saddington Street or, to drop off or pick up your child within the school grounds - enter the basketball car park from Edgar St and then leave via Saddington Street (left hand turn only according to the sign).

The basketball car park is closed at 9:15am and is then reopened at 2:45pm. From the basketball car park, please use the school entry gate that is located close to the new learning space for Year 3. All entry gates to the school will be opened after the 2:55pm dismissal bell, by one of the teachers on duty. Please do not park in the teacher’s car park at anytime.

Late arrival and early dismissal

If your child arrives late to school you (the parent/adult), need to sign in at the office before the child goes to class.

If your child needs to leave early from school (medical appointment, etc.) you (the parent/adult), need to send a letter to the school (before the actual day) advising the Principal of the reason you need to collect your child early. The Principal will then approve for your child to leave early. You will still need to sign your child out from the office.

If your child is to be collected at any time by someone other than parents, please notify the office and provide them with a Letter of Authorisation

In order to minimise class disruption, it would be helpful if all appointments for children e.g. Doctor, Dentist etc could be made outside school hours.

This is our school
Let peace dwell here
Let the rooms be filled with contentment
Let love abide here
Love of God
Love of one another
Love of mankind
And Love of life itself
Let us remember
that as many hands build a house,
so many hearts make a school.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us
St Joseph, pray for us
St Mary of the Cross, help us to follow Jesus.

For the purpose of staff development, the Catholic Education Office allows four days a year to all schools.

On these days teachers will be involved in activities such as curriculum development. Dates of these staff development days will be advised through the school newsletter and you are asked to make other arrangements for the supervision of your child/children on these days.

In NSW, school attendance is compulsory for children over the age of six years until the minimum school leaving age of 17 years.

Regular attendance at school is critical to ensuring that every student has the kind of opportunities in life that he or she deserves. When students are not at school, they are missing out on so much. Without the knowledge, the skills, or the support that schools are so good at providing, young people can get left behind and find themselves under-prepared for a fast-paced and often very challenging world.

What if my child is away from school
If your child has to be absent from school, it is a legal requirement that the school knows why your child was away. If your child is absent from school, please forward to the class teacher a short note of explanation and dates of absences; you can also complete an absence note through the school's skoolbag app. If you know in advance your child is going to be absent, please notify your class teacher.

What if my child is late to school?
If you child is late to school, you need to bring them into the school office to sign them in, and your child will receive a late pass.

If your child needs to leave school early
If you need to collect your child early from school, you must send a note to the Principal explaining the reason why your child needs to leave early, for the Principal to approve. Please, where possible, send the note in before the day you need to collect your child.

If your child needs to take extended leave for a holiday
If you need to take your child out of school for an extended time, you must inform the Principal in writing explaining the reason your child will be away.
If your child will be absent for longer than 10 days you must complete an Application for Extended Leave and send to the Principal along with a copy of your itinerary. The Principal will advise you whether this leave has been approved or not. These documents are available on the 'School Notes' page of our website under the 'Current Families' menu.

All visitors and volunteers are required to report to the office on arrival where they sign in via the iPad in the foyer and collect a visitor’s badge. Before leaving the school premises, visitors are requested to sign out.

Communication with the School

We acknowledge that employees, students and parents may sometimes have a complaint about a decision, behaviour, act, or omission that they feel is unacceptable. Whilst most issues can be resolved through direct discussion with the parties, there may be instances in which this is not possible. The school has adopted the diocesan Complaints Handling Policy.

ParentsComplaints or grievances pertaining to classroom issues, or that relate to other children, are to be dealt with by school personnel. It is not appropriate for parents to approach other parents, or their children, with the intention of resolving the issues.

Who do I see?

The first point of contact is the student’s class teacher. Please contact the school office to make an appointment with the teacher concerned.

If parents are not satisfied with the solutions offered, or believe that they have not been given a fair hearing, they are encouraged to make an appointment with the Stage Co-ordinator.

Religious Education matters can be discussed with the REC if your child’s teacher is unable to help you.

Should the issue remain unresolved after this time, an appointment is made with the Assistant Principal or Principal to further discuss the issues.

If you would like to raise a concern formally, the Catholic Education Office, Parramatta has procedures for ensuring that complaints are handled fairly. Information about how to lodge a complaint and a complaint form are available from their website www.parra.catholic.edu.au.

Please remember there are usually at least two sides to every story and whilst it is important to listen to the children, it is also important not to draw conclusions or make accusations until all the facts are known.

Students

The procedure for students is:

If issues arise in the classroom, students are encouraged to speak to their class teacher in order to seek support in finding a resolution.

Students encountering problems on the playground are asked to talk to the staff member on duty at the time of the incident. If they believe that their concern has not been adequately addressed they are encouraged to speak to their class teacher.

All students at OLR are taught to adopt the school’s Three Step Plan to find a resolution. This plan is displayed in each learning area, is discussed regularly in class and forms part of the Student Wellbeing Policy.

Try to work out a solution yourself

Ask a friend to help you

Ask a teacher for help

Procedural Fairness

The principles of natural justice apply to all complaints.

Natural justice is also known as procedural fairness and applies in
situations where a decision could potentially have a detrimental effect
on the rights, interests or legitimate expectations of a person.

Procedural fairness requires that:
1. The respondent is heard
2. The decision is not biased
3. The decision is based on relevant and reliable evidence

At the beginning of each year, family information forms are sent home to ensure school records are current. It greatly assists if this information is returned as quickly as possible. If you change your contact details throughout the year, please complete a Change of Details Form which is available on the 'Notes from School' page of our website or from the school office.

There will be a Meet/Greet & Goals information night early in Term 1. This is an initial opportunity to give and receive information. It is expected that at least one parent and the student attend these interviews. There will be a late night interview night plus times before and after school.

Term 2

At the end of Term 2, teachers send home a formal report and meet with parents at Parent/Teacher/Child meetings to discuss the progress of their child. It is expected that at least one parent and the student attend these interviews. There will be a late night interview night plus times before and after school.

Term 4

A written report for all grades will be sent home late in this term to indicate the child’s general progress. Interviews are available upon request.

Transport

The School Opal card is used for travel on school busses. The School Opal card gives eligible school students free or subsidised travel on public transport between home and school on trains, buses and ferries.

From 1 July 2016, School Opal card holders and new applicants can apply online to travel on light rail services as well. Once approved, students can catch light rail services to and from school at the beginning of Term 3.

Students need to live a minimum distance from their school to be eligible for a School Opal card, as follows:

Years K-2 (Infants) - there’s no minimum distance.

Years 3-6 (Primary) - 1.6km straight line distance or 2.3km walking or further.

Years 7-12 (Secondary) - 2.0km straight line distance or 2.9km walking or further.

Applications for Kindergarten children's passes will be issued when the children have been accepted for enrolment. Applications for children enrolling in other grades should be made at the time of enrolment. Children should not apply for a bus pass unless it is to be used regularly.

Kindergarten children should have the number of their afternoon bus (e.g. 770 – 4081 etc.) clearly marked on name tags on their school case, as they are often not sure of their bus. The bus company issues a list of bus numbers and routes.

In the case of a lost bus pass, parents must approach the bus company personally for a replacement. A fee is charged for a replacement pass. Children will need to pay for bus travel until a new pass is issued. All pupils of our school are expected to be on their best behaviour at all times while travelling on school buses. Parents will be contacted if their child behaves inappropriately on a bus. If the inappropriate behaviour continues the bus company has the authority to suspend bus travel.

We believe that student experiences beyond the classroom contribute significantly to their growth and development. The provision of opportunities for students to participate in experiences in the wider community is a means of integrating and supplementing the curriculum offerings of the school.

School excursions are only undertaken with the prior approval of the Principal. For higher priced excursions, e.g. Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6) overnight excursion, parents are encouraged to pay by instalments through the school office.

Please note that children are not denied access to participation in school excursions because of genuine hardship and a parent’s inability to meet the required cost.

Health and Medication

The safety of the children is of paramount importance to the school. If an accident occurs or a child is sick, parents will be contacted immediately. If parents cannot be contacted, medical treatment/advice will be sought.

Money Matters

All money sent to the office should be placed in an envelope with your child’s name, class, amount and the purpose of the money being sent. Money comes through the office for numerous reasons (e.g. school fees, excursions, swimming money & children’s book club) and your co-operation in using an envelope is greatly appreciated.

If required, parents & children can drop these envelopes into the secure drop box in the office. This box is emptied twice per day.

At the beginning of the year a representative from the Commonwealth Bank visits the school and talks to the Kindergarten children about banking. Children may open a bank account at the school so that they may bank regularly. Infants and Primary banking day is Friday.